Eric Clapton's Ferrari SP12 EC

Ferrari has always set high standards for its customer interaction, and the latest press bulletin indicates it is continuing to explore new means of communicating with its customers, this time in the digital realm. "FERRARI BUILDS A UNIQUE SUPERCAR FOR ‘GOD’" was the headline. Blasphemy for some, but I knew who they meant. Eric Clapton.

Developed from the Ferrari 458 Italia, Eric Clapton’s unique Ferrari SP12 EC was designed by the Centro Stile Ferrari in collaboration with Pininfarina and Ferrari’s engineers.

To get the full story, you need to either pay a premium price for a coffee table copy of the Official Ferrari Magazine, or download the app and connect with Ferrari directly.

The quality of the magazine, the printing, the design and artistry, are all extraordinarily beautiful, and a hard copy will set you back €50 (US$62). The good news is that electronic versions are much cheaper.

I was raised on hard copy magazines, and handling a well crafted, beautifully printed magazine is always a joy but if you're a Ferrari nutter, it'll definitely look good on your coffee table. And the €50 price is emblazoned on the front cover just so people will know how much of an enthusiast you are.

The artistry and photography and exclusive content make it a must for Ferrari enthusiasts and the good news is that electronic versions are much cheaper. I downloaded it to an iPad half an hour ago and it looks fantastic , particularly at the US$9 I paid for the digital form.

Content remains king, and Ferrari is creating exquisitely photographed and beautifully written content and publishing it exclusively through its own channels in the Official Ferrari Magazine.

It's a trend that has been explored with customer magazines by the prestige brands for many years, but the Ferrari magazine goes to new levels with even more compelling content with the short story press released to the media and the full story available only via the Official Ferrari Magazine.

Clapton built himself a bespoke Ferrari Ferrari 458 Italia in collaboration with Centro Stile Ferrari, Pininfarina and Ferrari’s engineers as part of Ferrari’s Portfolio One-Off Programme.

The result is a totally unique Ferrari SP12 EC which, to quote Clapton from the story, was "one of the most satisfying things I’ve ever done.”

The current issue has a general theme of women and Ferrari, and there are some great stories and images.

At US$9 for a digital copy, and US$62 a printed copy, it'll only be a bargain if you are an accredited member of the Tifosi.